This invention relates generally to apparatus and method for evaluating the performance of a sonobuoy-avionics system and particularly to a test set for evaluating the performance of the Directional Command Active Sonobuoy System (DICASS) avionics by verifying and recording downlink commands and generating uplink data with simulated target information.
As a result of sonobuoy complexity and therefor expense and the importance of reliable detecting and processing of information of critical no repeat target opportunities, it has become increasingly important to verify proper operation of a sonobuoy system. It is essential that operational and preflight checkout of the sophisticated integrated anti-submarine warfare systems be accurate and easy to utilize. No single piece of equipment is available that can monitor and simultaneously verify down link commands and provide uplink data for complete testing of the DICASS.
A receiver and a bank of filters each tuned to a particular frequency was utilized to monitor downlink commands but provided only limited capability. Prior knowledge of the channel to be commanded was required so as to select the proper filters. In order to verify the proper address and functional command, external test equipment including spectrum analyzers, storage scopes, time and frequency counters were required. Even with external test equipment, a series of the same commands were usually required before all parameters associated with the down link command could be properly measured and manually logged.
A Directional Frequency and Range (DIFAR) simulator had been utilized for checking DICASS uplink avionics only because DIFAR and DICASS use a similar uplink format. The DIFAR simulator, however, simulates a passive sonobuoy system and therefore does not provide a signal to resemble the actual DICASS acoustic performance.